Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2: Which Should I Choose?
Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or a casual stargazer, choosing the right app can make all the difference in your sky-viewing experience. Star Walk 2 and Sky Tonight are two popular astronomy apps, each designed to help you explore celestial wonders. Both apps are free to use and offer the essential features (like a sky map with AR mode, search, and calendar), but which one is right for you? Let’s explore their differences to help you decide.
Contents
- What is Sky Tonight?
- What is Star Walk 2?
- Sky Tonight and Star Walk 2 use cases
- Sky Tonight vs Star Walk 2 features
- Conclusion
What is Sky Tonight?
Sky Tonight is a powerful and flexible stargazing app. It meets the needs of both ordinary people who just want an accessible guide to the night sky and seasoned astronomy lovers who need a more in-depth experience.
Get Sky Tonight: App Store, Google Play, App Gallery
What is Star Walk 2?
Star Walk 2 is a visually stunning stargazing app that provides an interactive experience for those who enjoy learning about the cosmos. It offers real-time tracking of celestial objects, detailed 3D models of constellations and deep-sky objects, and an engaging interface that makes space exploration accessible to everyone.
Get Star Walk 2: App Store, Google Play
Sky Tonight and Star Walk 2 use cases
Here are some common situations where either Sky Tonight or Star Walk 2 may be the better choice.
Want to see an upcoming planetary alignment?
Choose Star Walk 2! Its exclusive Planet Walk feature lets you explore multiple planets at once and find the best dates to view alignments in your location. No other app offers this!
Planning to watch a solar eclipse?
Choose Sky Tonight! Its astronomy calendar provides eclipse visibility details for your exact location and global visibility maps. You can also set a reminder — so you never miss an important celestial event.
Curious about what space objects look like in 3D?
Choose Star Walk 2! Enjoy the beautiful 3D models of constellations, satellites, and deep-sky objects, and explore the internal structure of the Sun and planets.
Interested in mobile astrophotography?
Choose Sky Tonight! Capture and edit night sky photos right in the app. You can also plot curves for the Sun, Moon, planets, asteroids, and comets — what once took months for photographers can now be done in seconds.
Want to learn astronomy in a fun way?
Choose Star Walk 2! It has an Entertainment section packed with quizzes, space cartoons, and colorful infographics that make learning engaging.
Looking to explore the night sky in depth?
Choose Sky Tonight! It is built for both beginners and pros. It offers a massive free celestial catalog and all the data you need to plan stargazing sessions.
Of course, there are plenty of reasons to use an astronomy app — whether you’re exploring celestial events, identifying stars and planets in real-time, or deepening your knowledge of the universe from the comfort of your home. Still unsure which app to pick? Give them both a try — they’re free to download, so there’s nothing to lose!
Sky Tonight vs Star Walk 2 features
To make it even easier for you to decide, here's a side-by-side look at the key features of each app.
Sky Tonight:
- Is more minimalistic;
- Gives access to all space objects and features for free;
- Has bottom navigation for easy one-handed use, allowing users to operate the app while using an optical device;
- Has a flexible search that helps to find objects, events, and articles;
- Includes asterisms, more stars, and deep-sky objects;
- Features a Visible Tonight section with a stargazing index to help plan observations;
- Has a detailed astronomy calendar with separate sections for Events, Moon, Meteors, and Sky;
- Has advanced sky view adjustments;
- Allows setting reminders on any time and date;
- Has a photo editing tool to customize your astronomy photos;
- Allows to create solar analemmas and curves for the Sun, Moon, planets, asteroids, and comets.
Star Walk 2:
- Has a unique visual style;
- Has the Sky Live section for real-time sky tracking;
- Has the Planet Walk feature to explore multiple planets at once;
- Includes paid add-on advanced features;
- Has different spectrum options for the sky;
- Presents 3D models of constellations, DSOs, and satellites;
- Includes the Entertainment section with quizzes, infographics, and space cartoons.
Conclusion
Both Sky Tonight and Star Walk 2 offer unique features that appeal to different astronomy enthusiasts. Sky Tonight is perfect for those who enjoy planning observations, exploring the universe in-depth, and customizing their stargazing journey. Meanwhile, Star Walk 2 is ideal for users who enjoy a visually immersive skywatching experience with interactive 3D models and educational content.
The best way to decide? Try them both! The apps are free to download, so explore their features and see which one suits your needs.
Get Sky Tonight: App Store, Google Play, App Gallery
Get Star Walk 2: App Store, Google Play
Wishing you clear skies and happy stargazing!
